LOS ANGELES (CN) - A high school in Anaheim, Calif., violated students' First Amendment rights by refusing to let an extracurricular Bible Club meet at the school, a federal judge ruled.
"In a time when other outside influences, many negative, vie for high school students' attention," U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney wrote, "it makes no sense for a school to narrow its overwhelmingly positive extracurricular and co-curricular offerings by preventing students from organizing new clubs or keeping groups like the Bible Club off campus."
Carney upheld an injunction directing Esperanza High School to grant the Bible Club the same access to school facilities and resources as it gave other groups, such as the Red Cross Club and Students Making a Difference.
The Bible Club's proposed purpose was "to study the Bible and other related pieces of literature," while providing a forum to discuss religious topics. Students also said they wanted to use the club as a platform to mobilize groups to "feed the poor, help the homeless, and protect the weak and vulnerable in society."
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
Additional Reads
-
-
Contributor-Test-Post-2024-04-12 April 12, 2024
